Cost of Living Comparison Between Arica and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Arica and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,086 per month in Arica vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,650 per month in Arica vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,215 per month in Arica vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Arica costs about 8% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Arica and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Arica 18% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.54 CLP 7,947

$5.91 COP 18.6K

44.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.21 CLP 41.1K

$32.96 COP 103.8K

34.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.09 CLP 7,527

$7.43 COP 23.4K

8.88%

Cappuccino

$2.76 CLP 2,569

$1.65 COP 5,207

67.27%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 CLP 1,217

$1.10 COP 3,468

19.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.06 CLP 982

$0.78 COP 2,458

35.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.26 CLP 3,033

$1.72 COP 5,412

89.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 CLP 4,004

$3.18 COP 10.0K

35.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 CLP 1,151

$1.10 COP 3,474

12.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 CLP 1,390

$1.26 COP 3,962

18.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 CLP 1,792

$1.38 COP 4,349

39.86%

Eggs

$3.62 CLP 3,370

$2.18 COP 6,858

66.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.51 CLP 9,780

$4.49 COP 14.1K

134.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.58 CLP 6,120

$5.79 COP 18.2K

13.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.05 CLP 10.3K

$8.97 COP 28.2K

23.19%

Apples (1kg)

$1.80 CLP 1,679

$2.32 COP 7,308

-22.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 CLP 1,399

$1.06 COP 3,352

41.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 CLP 1,478

$1.52 COP 4,774

4.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 CLP 1,355

$1.36 COP 4,270

7.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 CLP 1,144

$1.13 COP 3,552

8.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 CLP 1,295

$1.17 COP 3,689

18.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 CLP 1,165

$0.90 COP 2,838

38.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 CLP 1,091

$0.90 COP 2,823

30.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.35 CLP 4,975

$2.23 COP 7,034

139.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.57 CLP 5,181

$12.12 COP 38.2K

-54.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 CLP 1,440

$1.19 COP 3,743

30.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 CLP 2,171

$2.48 COP 7,815

-6.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 CLP 549

$0.85 COP 2,687

-30.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.50 CLP 468

$1.42 COP 4,459

-64.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 CLP 1,266

$0.99 COP 3,118

37.37%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$19.8K CLP 18.4M

$17.6K COP 55.4M

12.38%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$21.2K CLP 19.7M

$26.8K COP 84.4M

-20.89%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$131 CLP 121.6K

$83.0 COP 261.4K

57.49%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$13.57 CLP 12.6K

$9.70 COP 30.5K

39.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.67 CLP 20.2K

$23.52 COP 74.1K

-7.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.79 CLP 36.1K

$25.26 COP 79.5K

53.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.34 CLP 19.9K

$19.10 COP 60.1K

11.73%

Cinema Ticket

$5.51 CLP 5,124

$3.95 COP 12.4K

39.49%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$435 CLP 404.4K

$316 COP 994.2K

37.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.1 CLP 46.6K

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-16.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.44 CLP 28.3K

$31.82 COP 100.2K

-4.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.7 CLP 53.7K

$102 COP 320.1K

-43.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 CLP 77.9K

$107 COP 338.3K

-22.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 CLP 443.4K

$475 COP 1.5M

0.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$380 CLP 354.0K

$374 COP 1.2M

1.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$903 CLP 839.9K

$849 COP 2.7M

6.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$589 CLP 548.1K

$719 COP 2.3M

-18.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$527 CLP 490.6K

$624 COP 2.0M

-15.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.18

13.43

-61.43%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Arica: July 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Arica versus $475 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 18% higher in Medellin, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Arica versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $228 vs $193 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Arica vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,086 in Arica, $1,003 in Medellin – roughly 8% apart. Arica costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,629 per month in Arica and $1,504 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Arica and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 18% more in Arica, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,003, than in Arica at $1,086. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Arica it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,003 in Medellin to $1,086 in Arica. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Arica makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.